WYP
News Guru
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Phanteks hopes to eat Noctua's lunch with their T30 fans
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AngryGoldfish
Old N Gold
Machines & More on YouTube (everyone should be subscribed to his stuff; it's very good) reviewed these and showed them beating the best fan in the world, the NF-A12x25. The margin is about 3-4°C at the lower RPM range of 1200. That's huge at those moderate speeds. The gap closes at up to 2000 RPM though. The NF-A12x25 was already ahead of pretty much every other fan, so the T30 is incredible and should definitely be the fans to buy for radiators and heatsinks if you can spare the extra 5mm. They're also beautiful and a little cheaper.
NeverBackDown
AMD Enthusiast
Not entirely fair comparison though.
The NF-F12 is better at lower RPMs than the A12 as it has higher static pressure. Comparing like for like is nearly impossible for fans. And the A12 was designed for making the best of both static pressure and airflow in the middle ranges of it's RPM curve at the most quiet level possible. That's a very specific application.
This 30mm fan is seemingly designed for pure static pressure. Which is obviously going to win.
If you need airflow this isn't the fan you want. Noctua just offers both in one. Albeit not the best in either but certainly close and it's dead silent. But that's a compromise one needs to make
The NF-F12 is better at lower RPMs than the A12 as it has higher static pressure. Comparing like for like is nearly impossible for fans. And the A12 was designed for making the best of both static pressure and airflow in the middle ranges of it's RPM curve at the most quiet level possible. That's a very specific application.
This 30mm fan is seemingly designed for pure static pressure. Which is obviously going to win.
If you need airflow this isn't the fan you want. Noctua just offers both in one. Albeit not the best in either but certainly close and it's dead silent. But that's a compromise one needs to make
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AngryGoldfish
Old N Gold
I didn't know the F12 was better at lower RPM's than the A12. From what I've seen of that fan, it's the best at everything in its size class—until now of course.
In the A12 vs T30, noise levels were equalled at the same RPM, 1200. Did you watch the video I was talking about? I don't mean that angrily; I'm genuinely curious because I only skimmed through it and could have missed a key bit myself. I don't remember Machines & More testing airflow situations (as a case fan). The T30 seems marketed as a heatsink fan primarily, which the A12 is also primarily used for. Case fans are less dependent on performance so it doesn't really matter very much whether you've got a cheaper (but still good) fan as intakes or exhausts in a midtower case compared to your heatsink fans. It would be a bit overkill in a midtower case to buy A12's. Even F12's are overkill unless you've got the budget for it.
NeverBackDown
AMD Enthusiast
I did not watch it. No need to really. They are designed for slightly different purposes and really aren't comparable tit for tat. NF-F12 is specifically a heatsink fan. The A12 is that and case fan. It's an all rounder.
It's not overkill for a case fan, having a strong directional airflow pattern helps get the air in and out quickly which means less time to heat up inside the case making the case temps hotter. This is where the A12 is good at alongside a heatsink fan. It was marketed as such originally. Which is why I bought them.
Just imagine if the A12 was also 30mm thick. I'm sure it would perform better. More surface area to move air or ability to create higher pressure, it will perform better. Just physics at that point.
I'm not saying it's impossible for noctua to get beat, just I don't think it's a direct comparison.
It's not overkill for a case fan, having a strong directional airflow pattern helps get the air in and out quickly which means less time to heat up inside the case making the case temps hotter. This is where the A12 is good at alongside a heatsink fan. It was marketed as such originally. Which is why I bought them.
Just imagine if the A12 was also 30mm thick. I'm sure it would perform better. More surface area to move air or ability to create higher pressure, it will perform better. Just physics at that point.
I'm not saying it's impossible for noctua to get beat, just I don't think it's a direct comparison.
AngryGoldfish
Old N Gold
I think that's clutching at straws a bit though. It's absolutely true that the T30 is not going to be as ideal as a case fan, but the video was comparing them as heatsink fans. And in that instance, the T30 beat the A12 handily. I think that's incredible. I know, it has more mass so it makes sense. But for anyone looking for optimal performance as a heatsink fan, the A12 is no longer the go-to. I guess that's all I was saying. But yeah, you're right, as a 'do-everything-awesomely' fan, the A12 is still the champ. And when we get the Chromax version, it'll look incredible.
We're talking about both the F12 and the A12. The F12 is the oldie and goldie (or brownie) while the A12 is Noctua's flagship-type fan.
